Telangana state for screening all domestic passengers arriving at RGIA

Hyderabad: In view of several positive cases being reported from various States in the country in the last few days, the Telangana government is contemplating thermal screening of all domestic flights that land at Shamshabad from various cities in the country.

As of now, all passengers travelling to Hyderabad in different international flights are being screened as per Union Health Ministry's directions to all States.

Health Minister Eatala Rajender took up this matter with Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Monday. He brought to his notice the need to screen domestic passengers also in view of new cases (positive and community spread) being reported from Kerala and New Delhi.

To this the Union Minister seemed to have told him that Centre did not take any such decision as yet, but if Telangana wants it can with its own arrangements and manpower at airports.

State Health Minister is expected to chair a meeting on Tuesday morning with senior officials of the department to work out the plan to implement his government's fresh decision to check spread of new cases into the State.

Universal screening of all international passengers is going at Shamshabad airport from last one week for which TS health department deputed 30 additional staff including 15 doctors to assist the airport health staff.

Everyday nearly 5,000 passengers are landing in Hyderabad in nearly 35 international flights from different destinations across the world.

Now if domestic passengers are also screened, TS has to depute medical teams in big numbers, details of which will be worked out in the key meeting to be conducted by the minister on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Eatala himself visited Shamshabad airport on Monday to have a look of thermal screening and other procedures being done by the airport health team, headed by Dr Anuradha Medoju, Union Health Ministry incharge looking after both Telugu States.